


Where Hell and Earth Abide

by revivalist



Series: Buckynat AUs [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Arranged Marriage, Dark Magic, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Period-Typical Sexism, Southern Gothic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-15 02:53:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7203521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/revivalist/pseuds/revivalist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Buckynat Southern Gothic AU: Natasha is forced into an arranged marriage with Alexei Shostakov by her guardian, Ivan Petrovich. She finds her husband-to-be working for Loki, who is running for mayor. She also meets a man named Bucky, who intriguingly is not what he seems. Together, they work to escape their fates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where Hell and Earth Abide

Corn fields surrounded Ivan Petrovich's manor like a moat. Some days, Natasha thought she would suffocate from the consuming sight alone. It was all that could be seen for miles. She spent most of her time kept inside, only interacting with her tutor and the servants. Ivan wanted his ward to be perfect. He even decided upon the man for her to marry: Alexei Shostakov.

She glared down at Alexei from where she stood at her window, watching as he waltzed up the gravel pathway to the front door. Her gut tightened at the sight of him, of the pervading feelings of contempt for her future.

Natasha left her room to stand at the top of the stairs, looming over the scene of her guardian and Alexei embracing, her fingers coiling around the bannister railing. He helped advance Ivan's political career and now it seemed he was returning the favor– Everything was about politics to Ivan. When the pair disappeared into his office, Natasha toed her way down the steps, avoiding the wooden boards that creaked, and dropped to her knees to peek in through the keyhole.

"I would make a woman out of Ms. Romanoff." Alexei flashed a grin at Ivan, who was laughing boisterously at the remark. Natasha's teeth gritted together to stop her from screaming at the scene before her.

"I admire a man who knows what he wants." Ivan's laughter died down as he moved to pour them both a glass of bourbon. It was his best bottle, the one he refused to open until the appropriate occasion arose. "But other than your support in my campaign for councilman, to which I am eternally grateful, how are you any better than the rest of the suitors I have lined up? I need someone to respectfully carry on my name, my legacy."

Alexei bolted from his seat and smacked the crystal glass being offered him. The shattering sound momentarily startled Natasha, but she did not falter. "You promised Natasha to me when she became of age!" He grabbed Ivan by his shirt collar and yanked him closer. "You wanna talk about respect, _about legacy?_ Don't forget of your sins, Ivan– all your misdeeds I covered up so you could get a seat on the board, all the things you did to get there." His voice dropped down to a sharp hiss and his grip only tightened on her guardian. "I can drag your name through the dirt, ya hear? And the only legacy you will leave behind is one of disgrace!"

"Are you finished with your theatrics, _boy?_ " Ivan pointedly asked before prying the young man's large hands off of him.

"Give me your blessing, and all will be well." Alexei smiled once more, and this time Ivan didn't find it the least bit charming. Natasha watched with bated breath as her guardian stood silently for what seemed like the longest moment of her life.

 

"Fine, but do not utter a word about any of this!" Ivan hissed, his face disfigured with a snarl. Alexei crossed his arms and smugly watched as the older man crumbled before him, tears rolling down his cheeks. " _Please_ , she shouldn't suffer for my transgressions."

Alexei mockingly frowned at Ivan before circling behind him to rub his shoulders. He leaned down and whispered into his ear: "I take very, _very_ good care of what is mine. And Natasha will be mine." The laugh that followed would haunt Ivan till his death.

When Alexei started to stalk towards the door, Natasha ran to hide behind one of the many columns that lined the halls lest he see her spying. He paused to listen to Ivan's muffled sobs before shaking his head, probably in shame at how easy it was to break the old man. Natasha fled to her room once he left and awaited the news.

 

Ivan stewed for what felt like hours behind the closed door of his office. He ran through the remainder of the bourbon before weakly ringing a bell. Anne, Natasha's attending servant, knocked before entering and was instructed to bring Natasha in. Quiet footsteps creaked from the hall towards her room and she opened her eyes only when she heard Anne knock.

"Miss, Mr. Petrovich requests your presence in his office." She informed Natasha with a humble smile. "And should I tell him you haven't been spying on him?"

"Can it be our secret?" Natasha sheepishly smiled back while walking with her towards the office once more.

"What am I to do with all these secrets of yours?" Anne chuckled softly before excusing herself once Natasha reached the door of his office. She took a deep breath before letting herself in.

 

"Natasha, dear!" Ivan shakily sprang from his velvet armchair. "How do you fare? You look sick."

"I'm fine." Her voice was curt and impatient. Ivan was a man of few words, so when he began to ramble, she knew he was just too cowardly to come out with the truth. "What is it that you called me here for?"

Ivan cleared his throat and began pacing, another sign that he was being avoidant. "Mr. Shostakov stopped by earlier– You remember him from my campaign team?" Natasha folded her arms together and simply nodded. "Well, uh, we had an _enlightening_ discussion of sorts– and uh, he seeks your hand in marriage."

"I suppose I don't have a say in this."

Ivan sighed heavily, pitying himself because he also thought he didn't have a say. "Natasha, you must be aware of the ever-ticking clock of womanhood. This marriage will be the necessary stepping stone-" Natasha scoffed and turned her back to Ivan.

"You speak of me being a woman, yet dictate every facet of my life as if I still be a child."

"Learn your place!" Ivan hollered, and Natasha turned around to see his face bloated red in fury. "In this home, and in society!" He roughly exhaled and began to stammer. "You will marry Alexei, or-or there will be hell t-to pay!"

Natasha glared at the shivering man, sweat dampening his face and collar. She wanted to ask him who it was he meant there would be hell to pay if the marriage didn't go through, but she strategically kept her mouth shut. Natasha was good at swallowing her emotions in the pursuit of the greater truth.

" _You look sick_." She spat at him before slamming the door behind her.

 

Natasha did as always when home was too overwhelming and walked towards town. It wasn't for a few miles, and she allowed her mind to be distracted by the expanse of fields and Spanish moss swaying from tree branches as she walked down the winding dirt road. The sun beat down on her, and she loosened the collar of her dress when she reached the congested town. She deftly maneuvered through crowds flocking in the street, wheelbarrows rolling in front of her out of nowhere, and even stepping over animal feces. It felt good to disappear, until it was over–

"Natasha!" A familiar voice called to her, and she glanced up to see Alexei himself standing on the steps outside someone's office. As if it couldn't get any worse, he called for someone else inside to meet her and out stepped Loki Laufeyson. Natasha heard talk around town that he walked with a gold encrusted cane, but she didn't expect the rumors to be true. "I assume Ivan has told you the news, and you have come to celebrate with me." 

"What a poor assumption that is." She shot back at him, delighting how that visibly crippled his ego. 

"Well, come along anyhow." His large hand wrapped around her arm and steered her inside. She was quick to pry herself out of his grip, but was surrounded with no chance of leaving. 

"I say, Alexei– when you spoke of her beauty, I thought it was all hot air." Loki whispered into his confidant's ear as Natasha walked ahead of them. "She is a rose, but perhaps, one with too many thorns." He commented on her standoffish attitude towards them. 

"Careful, Loki." Alexei growled, but it was interrupted by him taking the liberty of snatching Natasha's hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. She immediately tensed up upon feeling the man's thin lips against her skin and jerked her hand away without regard to politeness.

"It is so good to finally meet you, Ms. Shostakov." Loki smiled as if he found some delight in her discomfort.

"That's rather premature, I must say." Natasha eased out, her words smooth and laced with venom.

"You may not say so." Alexei interjected defensively, his lips tightening into a disproving frown.

"I wasn't requesting your permission." She arched a brow in disbelief at the pathetic attempt at domination he was playing. 

" _Control your woman_." Loki hissed in Alexei's ear before calling others into the room to announce the news of their engagement. The group of men began clapping and stomping their feet like wild animals much to Natasha's displeasure, and another's it seemed. 

Her attention fixed upon a man standing quietly in the corner, his arms folded across his chest, closing him off from the rest. Her eyes roved over his strong build and dark hair pulled back into a ponytail when suddenly his eyes snapped up and met her stare. His eyes were surprisingly sharp and equally curious as her own. His face was soft in comparison to hardness of his tense body. Just like Natasha, he was an observer.

Then she heard Loki chuckling to himself, barely able to contain the sound, before ushering the quiet man into the midst of the group, once again delighting in another's discomfort. She already felt Alexei tense up behind her as they approached. "Natasha, this is Bucky, the newest member of my campaign team."

Bucky gave her a small smile before extending his gloved hand out for her to shake. The black leather felt supple to touch, and his fingers brushing against the inside of her wrist made her spine tingle pleasantly. Bucky must have noticed by subtle flush of his cheeks and the soft, quick intake of air as Natasha's fingers tightened around his.

"Bucky, how improper of you to shake a lady's hand wearing those ridiculous gloves of yours." Alexei sneered at him, and just like that Bucky pulled his hand away and stuffed it in his pocket. Natasha whipped around to glare at her unruly fiancé. 

Before she could say something in his defense, Loki began talking over everyone again: "Well," He clapped his hands together. "I say now is the perfect time for me to cordially invite all of you to my ball this Saturday." 

When she turned back around, Bucky was nowhere to be seen.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks in advance to all who read this!! Any feedback is greatly appreciated :)


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